Mustangs

In a series that began with questions and ended with a declaration, the Oklahoma City Thunder have officially arrived. With a 5-game takedown of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, the Thunder are not only heading to their first NBA Finals since 2012 &mdash; they are ushering in a new era of basketball in Oklahoma City.
A dominant win in Game 5 encapsulated everything that makes this Thunder team different. They are fast, they are disciplined, and they are fearless. And more than anything, they are seemingly ahead of schedule, which is frighteningly so.
This isn&rsquo;t just a feel-good story about a young team making an improbable run. This is the crystallization of vision, patience, and long-term planning led by one of the game&rsquo;s most methodical minds in Sam Presti. The Thunder are now reaping the fruits of their asset-rich rebuild, led by a core that hasn&rsquo;t even hit its collective prime.
And that&rsquo;s the part that should terrify the rest of the league.
A core that is built to last for seasons
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, at 26 years old, is playing the best basketball of his life and has transformed from an under-the-radar guard into a bonafide MVP. His combination of pace, craft, and clutch-time brilliance has anchored OKC's offense throughout the playoffs. Around him, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have flourished &mdash; two-way threats who thrive in Mark Daigneault&rsquo;s egalitarian system.
Williams continues to grow as an all-around playmaker and defensive irritant, while Holmgren, in his just his sophomore season, has erased doubts about his ability to anchor a postseason defense. The 7-foot unicorn has shown a poise that belies his age, walling off the paint and hitting timely shots from beyond the arc. Isaiah Hartenstein's midseason acquisition added frontcourt depth and physicality, and Alex Caruso&rsquo;s peskiness on the perimeter rounding out a rotation that is as versatile as it is relentless.
At just 23.1 years of age on average, the Thunder are the youngest team to make the NBA Finals since the 2012 Oklahoma City team that featured Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. That team came up short against LeBron James&rsquo; Miami Heat &mdash; but it symbolized a turning point in the league&rsquo;s youth movement.
This year&rsquo;s squad? They&rsquo;re not just symbolizing change &ndash; they are engineering it.
Defense, Depth, and Daigneault
Oklahoma City&rsquo;s 68-14 regular season was no fluke. Their disruptive, swarming defense has suffocated opponents all year long, and it translated seamlessly to the playoffs. Against the Timberwolves &mdash; a team known for their physicality and paint dominance &mdash; the Thunder bent but never broke. They swarmed Anthony Edwards, frustrated Julius Randle, and turned every possession into a marathon.
This defensive success is no accident. It&rsquo;s a testament to head coach Mark Daigneault, who has masterminded a system that rewards effort, communication, and versatility. OKC doesn&rsquo;t just guard &mdash; they engulf teams. Guards switch onto bigs with no hesitation, wings play passing lanes like cornerbacks, and the backline is fortified by Holmgren and Hartenstein&rsquo;s presence.
By blending developmental patience with competitive urgency, Daigneault has found a way to make one of the youngest rosters in NBA history play with the poise of a veteran team.
That speaks volumes &mdash; not just about his coaching acumen, but about the culture being built in Oklahoma City.
Sam Presti&rsquo;s vision comes full circle with another Finals appearance
This Finals run is a crowning moment for Sam Presti, the executive who famously pulled the plug on the Russell Westbrook-Paul George era to initiate one of the most comprehensive rebuilds in recent memory. He was mocked for stockpiling draft picks like they were Bitcoin. He was kind of doubted when he traded away established stars. But now, with a mountain of assets still untouched and a Finals team on the floor, Presti looks like a genius.
OKC has more than a dozen first-round picks through the end of the decade. And unlike other rebuilding teams with a treasure chest of draft capital, the Thunder don&rsquo;t need to cash in just yet. They have a foundational core, a coach they trust, and flexibility that allows them to chase another star or double down on internal growth. This is what sustainability looks like and the Thunder have capitalized on it big time.
A defining moment for the franchise
For longtime Thunder fans, this moment is drenched in emotion. Since the heartbreak of the 2016 Western Conference Finals collapse and the eventual departures of Durant and Westbrook, OKC has wandered the wilderness. There were moments of promise, but no promise of direction.
Now, they&rsquo;ve found it and they&rsquo;re right back in it with perhaps the brightest future they can possibly have.
This run to the Finals doesn&rsquo;t just represent a basketball achievement &mdash; it represents emotional validation. The tears, the trades, the tanking &mdash; it all led to this. And while the job isn&rsquo;t finished, there&rsquo;s a renewed sense that something special is brewing in Oklahoma once again.
Even if they don&rsquo;t win it all this season, the message is clear: the Thunder are not coming. They&rsquo;re here, and they&rsquo;re built to last.

The Thunder defeat the Wolves in 5 games to reach the NBA Finals, signaling a new era built on youth, depth, and elite coaching.

Thunder dominate Timberwolves, usher a new era of Thunder basketball

Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves is shaping up to be a defining moment in the series. With the Thunder up 2-1, the stakes are sky-high: a win would give Oklahoma City a commanding 3-1 lead and the chance to close out the series at home in Game 5. A Timberwolves victory, however, would tie the series and tilt momentum squarely in Minnesota&rsquo;s favor heading back to Oklahoma City. For both teams, Game 4 is a must-win, not just to improve their series odds but to psychologically establish control.
The Thunder have already demonstrated their potential dominance, capturing Games 1 and 2 behind strong defensive play and the leadership of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But their 42-point Game 3 loss &ndash; the franchise&rsquo;s worst in playoff history &ndash; shattered that narrative and gave Minnesota a jolt of confidence. Although it did not necessarily expose weaknesses that had been masked in earlier games, the Thunder are back in the drawing board.
Minnesota, meanwhile, needed that Game 3 win not just to stay alive in the series but to prove to themselves that they could crack Oklahoma City&rsquo;s defensive shell. Anthony Edwards&rsquo; explosive performance and a more balanced offensive attack were central to their blowout victory. The Timberwolves now face the challenge of sustaining that energy and focus, particularly in a pressure-filled Game 4 where every possession could shift the series balance.
<h3>The Thunder's adjustments:</h3>
Rekindling energy and intensity
Perhaps the most glaring issue in Game 3 was Oklahoma City&rsquo;s lack of energy from the opening tip. The Thunder were outscored 34-14 in the first quarter, and the deficit ballooned quickly. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admitted postgame that the team simply didn&rsquo;t match Minnesota&rsquo;s intensity. That kind of mental and physical lapse is especially surprising for a young, energetic team known for playing with urgency.
The Thunder have typically prided themselves on their fast starts and emotional edge, with their crowd feeding off their hustle. To correct this, Daigneault may need to emphasize establishing their pace and transition offense early in Game 4. Perhaps a quick substitution pattern or a motivational shift in pregame preparation could help reignite that spark. If they come out flat again, Minnesota is likely to capitalize with another early run.
It&rsquo;s not just about emotion &ndash; focus matters as well. The Thunder committed costly early turnovers and allowed second-chance points, putting themselves in a hole they could never climb out of. The best adjustment may simply be a mindset shift: play like your back is against the wall, because in a Western Conference Finals, it always is. How Oklahoma City starts Game 4 will set the tone for the rest of the series.
Containing Minnesota's role players
While Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle were expected to be focal points, Oklahoma City was undone in Game 3 by Minnesota&rsquo;s role players. Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. chipped in 15 points, including aggressive attacks to the rim and timely threes; while others like Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker provided scoring bursts and defensive energy. The Thunder defense, which was so stifling in Games 1 and 2, was repeatedly caught off guard by Minnesota&rsquo;s bench guys.
This speaks to a deeper issue: defensive rotations and scouting. The Thunder&rsquo;s game plan had revolved around containing stars, but it left openings for corner threes and off-ball cuts that the Wolves&rsquo; bench exploited. Oklahoma City needs to tighten its weak side help defense and better communicate on switches. Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace will be vital in applying consistent pressure without over-helping.
One way to limit role players is to reduce their rhythm opportunities. That means rebounding better to end possessions, pushing the pace to limit halfcourt sets, and closing out with discipline. If OKC can neutralize Minnesota&rsquo;s bench and force Edwards and Randle to shoulder a heavier load, it could wear down the Wolves&rsquo; stars by the fourth quarter, a strategy that worked in Game 1 and 2.
Improving perimeter shooting
Oklahoma City&rsquo;s offense lives and dies by its ability to stretch the floor. In Game 3, they shot just 31.8% from beyond the arc &ndash; a drastic drop from their efficiency in Games 1 and 2. Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe struggled to find clean looks, and the Wolves' perimeter defense closed out effectively. Without reliable spacing, Gilgeous-Alexander found it harder to penetrate and create.
Part of the problem was the Thunder&rsquo;s shot selection. Forced into late-clock attempts and contested threes, the ball movement that had fueled earlier wins stagnated. To fix this, OKC needs to reestablish its rhythm offense &ndash; using drives to kick out for open looks, and involving secondary playmakers and other bench guys like Aaron Wiggins to diversify the attack.
Hitting threes doesn&rsquo;t just boost the scoreboard &ndash; it changes the geometry of the court. If the Thunder regain their shooting stroke, it will pull Minnesota&rsquo;s defenders out of the paint and re-open driving lanes for SGA and Williams. A return to form from deep could be the single biggest factor in tilting Game 4 in Oklahoma City&rsquo;s favor.
<h3>The Wolves&rsquo; strategies:</h3>
Sustaining Anthony Edwards' Momentum
Anthony Edwards looked every bit the franchise superstar in Game 3, tallying 30 points in 30 minutes and setting the tone from the jump. His ability to attack in transition, create off the dribble, and knock down tough perimeter shots overwhelmed a Thunder defense that had kept him in check in some ways. But maintaining that level is the challenge.
Edwards has shown a tendency in past series to oscillate between brilliance and passivity. Minnesota needs him to be aggressive from the start of Game 4, particularly if OKC makes early adjustments to double or trap him. His decision-making, when to attack and when to pass, will dictate how the Thunder rotate defensively and could open up looks for teammates.
The other piece is Edwards&rsquo; defense. He played with renewed intensity in Game 3, helping disrupt OKC&rsquo;s ball movement and forcing turnovers that led to easy buckets. If he can continue to influence the game on both ends, he&rsquo;ll force Daigneault into tough matchup decisions. For the Timberwolves to even the series, they need their superstar to be the best player on the floor.
Consistency from Randle and McDaniels
Julius Randle gave Minnesota a much-needed offensive anchor in Game 3, finishing with 24 points and providing a physical counter to Chet Holmgren inside. His post-ups, face-up jumpers, and second-chance finishes is a powerful layer to the Wolves&rsquo; attack. It was a bounce back game after Randle&rsquo;s abysmal Game 2 performance, and consistency remains the key as we go deeper into the series.
Randle needs to continue exploiting mismatches &ndash; especially when the Thunder switch or play smaller lineups. If he can draw fouls and get to the line, it slows the pace and allows Minnesota to control tempo. Moreover, his ability to make quick reads as a passer will be crucial if OKC sends double-teams or crowds the paint.
McDaniels, meanwhile, doesn&rsquo;t need to score 20 points to be effective, but his timely threes and cutting lanes open up the floor. His primary value has come on defense, particularly in his effort to contain Gilgeous-Alexander. If he can provide his usual 10-12, 15 points while locking down one of OKC&rsquo;s stars, he becomes an x-factor that Oklahoma City has to account for every minute he&rsquo;s on the floor.
Bench production
The unsung hero in Minnesota&rsquo;s Game 3 romp was the bench unit. Terrence Shannon Jr. gave the Wolves a jolt with his confident scoring, while veteran Mike Conley played with the bench and helped steady the second unit. That depth allowed head coach Chris Finch to rest his starters earlier, preserving legs for what promises to be a grueling Game 4.
The Timberwolves&rsquo; bench not only scored, but also brought energy and defensive intensity. They helped build on the lead rather than merely maintain it&mdash;a luxury most teams don&rsquo;t have this deep into the playoffs. If players like Shannon, Reid, DiVincenzo, and Alexander-Walker continue producing, Minnesota can survive short lulls from their stars without losing ground.
What&rsquo;s more, the Wolves&rsquo; bench success forces OKC to go deeper into its rotation, potentially exposing weaknesses. The ability to trust non-starters with meaningful minutes is often the difference between a championship and a playoff exit. Minnesota&rsquo;s bench has a chance to turn this series around if they replicate their Game 3 performance.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
Game 4 will test both teams' resolve, adaptability, and poise under pressure. The Thunder are eager to erase the sting of a 40-point loss and reestablish dominance. The Timberwolves are riding high but know they can&rsquo;t afford a letdown. Whoever best applies these adjustments and wins the intangible battles &ndash; energy, focus, composure &ndash; will walk off the court with the series edge and momentum heading into Game 5.

Game 4 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals is pivotal as the Thunder and the Wolves battle for control.

2025 NBA Playoffs: Key adjustments as Thunder, Timberwolves aim to take control

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn&rsquo;t just win a Game 7 &ndash; they passed a rite of passage.
It was gritty, and it was emotional. It was everything that defines a turning point. On Sunday afternoon, inside a frenzied arena where the air was thick with tension, the Thunder outlasted the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. The final buzzer didn&rsquo;t just signal the end of the series, but it marked the beginning of something bigger &ndash; something real.
For a team that&rsquo;s been slowly building in the shadows, amassing assets, developing talent, and waiting for its window, this series was more than just a playoff checkpoint. It was the moment where potential finally collided with performance under pressure. This win was necessary &ndash; an experience that fast-forwards a young team&rsquo;s growth in ways no regular-season run or early-round playoff series ever could.
Battle-tested by the one of the best
Oklahoma City didn&rsquo;t just beat anyone. They beat the team that has made it before and won it all. The Denver Nuggets came in with the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic, the NBA&rsquo;s three-time MVP, and a team that knows exactly what it takes to climb the mountain and hoist the Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy. Jokic had carved up defenses all season and into the playoffs and Jamal Murray returned to his playoff form. This team was poised to win the deciding game with all their experience in their belt, and yet the Thunder were the ones left standing.
And they did it by growing up before our eyes.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played like the NBA&rsquo;s MVP all season, but this series demanded more. In Game 7, he wasn&rsquo;t just a scorer &ndash; he was a leader, a closer, a composed floor general in a storm. Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Cason Wallace all played beyond their years, taking hits, absorbing the moment, and coming back with even more fire.
There&rsquo;s no manual for winning a Game 7. There&rsquo;s no shortcut for the intensity that builds in every possession. Even SGA admitted to being nervous after the game going into his first ever Game 7. To play in one is one thing. To perform in one is another. To win? That takes something different. It takes nerve. And Oklahoma City just proved they&rsquo;ve got it.
A crucible that creates champions
This wasn&rsquo;t just about the win. It was about the journey &ndash; about facing adversity and coming through on the other side with a new identity. For most of this roster, this was their first taste of a Game 7, and it was nothing short of a trial by fire.
There&rsquo;s a type of emotional resilience that only emerges in these moments. The game slows down and speeds up at the same time. Every cut, every rotation, every decision matters. One mistake can send you home. One stop can etch your name in franchise history.
It&rsquo;s in these crucibles that bonds are formed. These are the games players remember in the offseason, in practice, in the next series when the legs are tired and the confidence wavers. You learn who can be trusted in the foxhole. You learn how far you can push yourself &ndash; and each other.
OKC will carry this Game 7 win for years. This is a foundational building block for a future contender.
Timberwolves await: The next test
Of course, the road doesn&rsquo;t get any easier. Next up are the battle-hardened Minnesota Timberwolves &ndash; another team on the rise, but one that has already been to the Western Conference Finals and is hungry for more.
Anthony Edwards is a force of nature. His rise mirrors that of SGA in many ways &ndash; two young stars trying to grab the torch and never let go. The Wolves have size, depth, and defensive versatility that will challenge OKC in ways even Denver didn&rsquo;t. Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels form a frontcourt wall that will test Holmgren&rsquo;s poise and toughness.
But the Thunder come in with something new: belief forged in battle.
They now know what it takes to win under duress. They&rsquo;ve felt the pressure of the moment and responded with poise. That experience matters. It travels. And as much as Minnesota presents matchup capabilities, OKC presents a different kind of threat &ndash; a team that&rsquo;s fearless, well-coached, and now, proven under fire.
SGA vs Anthony Edwards is the kind of series that could define this generation of NBA stars. Two leaders, two teams, two destinies intersecting on the playoff stage.&nbsp;
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
For years, Oklahoma City was a patient rebuild. The Russell Westbrook-Paul George era to the Chris Paul chapters came and went, but through it all, Sam Presti stayed the course. He stockpiled picks, gambled on high-upside players, and trusted in internal growth. Many wondered when &ndash; or if &ndash; it would all come together.
Game 7 was the answer.
This isn&rsquo;t just a feel-good story anymore. This is real. This is sustainable. The Thunder are here, and they&rsquo;re not backing down from anyone &ndash; not even the moment.
So as the Western Conference Finals loom, one thing is clear: The Thunder have arrived. Not just as a team with promise, but as a team with proof.
And once you get that first taste of victory under playoff fire, it changes you. It elevates your standard. It fuels your hunger. And if you&rsquo;re Oklahoma City, it marks the start of something even bigger.
Because sometimes, the only way forward&hellip; is through the fire.

The Thunder defeat the Nuggets in Game 7, marking a defining moment in their rise. How OKC's gritty win fuels their playoff growth?

Thunder’s Game 7 triumph over Nuggets signals arrival of a contender

As the 2025 NBA Playoffs begin, the Western Conference presents no shortage of compelling narratives and unanswered questions. Each team comes in with a storyline that could define their entire postseason. From young squads making their playoff debut to experienced rosters led by superstars, here's the biggest question facing each Western Conference playoff team.
Oklahoma City Thunder &mdash; Can their historic defense carry over to the playoffs?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have fielded the league&rsquo;s best defense this season, boasting a 106.6 defensive rating &mdash; the lowest mark in the NBA and one of the best over the past decade. Anchored by a core of versatile perimeter defenders like Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with interior enforcer Isaiah Hartenstein and shot blocker Chet Holmgren, the Thunder built a defensive identity predicated on length, switchability, and relentless pressure.
But as history has shown, regular-season defense doesn&rsquo;t always translate to playoff dominance. Matchups become more intentional, rotations tighten, and elite scorers are given room to manipulate even the best schemes. For a team like OKC that leans heavily on team defense rather than individual stoppers, their system will be tested in a postseason series where adjustments are key. Moreover, the Thunder&rsquo;s youth &ndash; despite being a strength in the regular season &ndash; may also be a vulnerability when the game slows down and every possession is magnified.
This Thunder squad has the makings of a historically great defense, but now comes the true test: whether that same system can hold up when a superstar like Luka Doncic or Steph Curry start hunting matchups in isolation. If OKC can sustain their defensive intensity in a seven-game series, their path to a deep run remains wide open.
Houston Rockets &mdash; Will their inexperience hinder them from going too far?
After years of rebuilding, the Houston Rockets are finally back in the playoffs &mdash; and this time, with a young core brimming with talent. Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson are all making their playoff debuts, and they&rsquo;ve formed a competitive group that finished with the fifth-best defense in the league (110.3 DRtg) and earned the second seed. Their turnaround under head coach Ime Udoka has been remarkable, fueled by a defense-first identity and the emergence of Sengun as one of the best passing bigs in the league.
However, playoff basketball is a different beast. It&rsquo;s about adjustments, discipline, and poise under pressure &ndash; things young teams usually need time to learn. In their first-round matchup, the Rockets face the battle-tested Golden State Warriors, a team that features championship experience across the board. Houston&rsquo;s youth could be exposed if the moment becomes too big, especially with Golden State&rsquo;s ability to dissect inexperience through smart off-ball actions and defensive schemes.
Players like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, the Rockets&rsquo; veterans, will be counted on to provide leadership and stabilize the team when things go sideways. But this postseason will ultimately serve as a litmus test for how ready the Rockets&rsquo; young stars are to take the leap. Even if they fall short, the experience could be invaluable moving forward.
Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; How viable is their roster construction?
The Lakers shocked the league by acquiring Luka Doncic midseason, pairing him with LeBron James and Austin Reaves to form a high-powered offensive trio. Since then, they&rsquo;ve leaned heavily into small-ball, often starting lineups with Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith alongside the core trio, while Jaxson Hayes remains their only true center. First-year head coach JJ Redick has installed a modern, five-out system that prioritizes spacing and switchable defense &mdash; a style tailor-made for the postseason.
But viability is still a concern. While the offense has thrived, their defense has some slippages, particularly when LeBron and Luka are on the floor together. Their lack of rim protection and size could be exploited by teams that boast elite drivers to the rim. Additionally, the wear-and-tear of postseason play could take a toll on their aging core, especially LeBron, who is playing his 22nd season and logging heavy minutes in the postseason
Ultimately, the Lakers&rsquo; playoff ceiling hinges on whether their current roster configuration &ndash; heavy on wings, light on bigs &ndash; can hold up when the game slows down and physicality ramps up. If it works, Redick could be hailed as a tactical genius. If it doesn&rsquo;t, questions about roster balance and long-term direction will resurface.
Denver Nuggets &mdash; Do they have enough help around Nikola Jokic?
Nikola Jokic is once again doing everything for the Denver Nuggets &mdash; and doing it at an MVP level. He finished the regular season averaging a triple-double and top 3 in every major statistical category. His ability to control the game as both scorer and facilitator remains unmatched, and he remains the engine of everything Denver does offensively. But after a sluggish finish to the season, the biggest concern for the Nuggets is whether Jokic has enough help to mount another deep playoff run.
Jamal Murray has battled through injuries and hasn&rsquo;t quite looked like the same dynamic scorer from their 2023 championship run. Michael Porter Jr. has been inconsistent, while Aaron Gordon&rsquo;s offensive impact has waned due to multiple injuries. Denver&rsquo;s bench has also taken a step back this year, with limited contributions outside of Russell Westbrook, Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson.
If Murray can elevate his game and Porter Jr. can knock down shots consistently, Denver remains a title threat. But the margin for error is much slimmer than last year. Jokic can only carry so much weight &ndash; the Nuggets need their supporting cast to deliver, or another early exit could be looming.
Los Angeles Clippers &mdash; Can we see James Harden and Kawhi Leonard lead this team to playoff glory?
After losing Paul George to free agency last summer, many assumed the Clippers&rsquo; title window had slammed shut. But the resurgence of James Harden and Kawhi Leonard has breathed life back into their playoff hopes. Harden has embraced the role of primary playmaker, averaging 22.8 points and 8.7 assists per game, while Leonard has quietly had one of the most efficient scoring seasons of his career in recent years, shooting 49.8% from the field and 41.1% from deep.
The Clippers finished the season strong with their offense clicking and defense holding steady. Yet the question remains &ndash; can their two stars carry them through the gauntlet of the Western Conference? Leonard&rsquo;s health has always been a question mark, and Harden&rsquo;s playoff track record has been a mixed bag at best.&nbsp;
This postseason may be one of the last chances for this iteration of the Clippers to make a real push. If Harden and Kawhi can replicate their regular-season success and stay healthy, they could make noise. Along with steady role players like Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers are darkhorse contenders and will be dangerous out in the West.
Minnesota Timberwolves &mdash; How will Julius Randle perform in the playoffs?
Minnesota shocked many by acquiring Julius Randle at the trade deadline, moving on from Karl-Anthony Towns in the process. The Wolves hoped that Randle, a more physical and downhill-oriented forward, would provide a better playoff fit alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. However, Randle&rsquo;s postseason history raises concerns &mdash; in 15 career playoff games, he&rsquo;s averaged just 15.6 points on 34.4% shooting from the field.
Minnesota will need more than that if they hope to build on last year&rsquo;s conference finals run. Randle must adapt his game to playoff basketball, where defenses are better prepared and isolation-heavy play often becomes less efficient. His ability to stretch the floor, make quick decisions, and play through contact will be tested, especially against elite defenses like OKC.
If Randle rises to the occasion, Minnesota could have one of the most balanced starting fives in the conference. But if he reverts to his inefficient playoff habits, the Wolves could find themselves stalling in critical moments &ndash; a risk that looms large in what could be a defining postseason for the franchise.
Golden State Warriors &mdash; How far can Jimmy Butler take them?
The Warriors made arguably the boldest trade of the deadline by acquiring Jimmy Butler from Miami, forming a star duo with Stephen Curry. Since the move, Golden State has looked rejuvenated, going on a tear to close the regular season and boasting the third-best net rating in the league during that span (+7.2). Butler&rsquo;s leadership, defense, and shot creation have given the Warriors a legitimate second option and re-energized their playoff outlook.
Butler has a proven playoff track record &ndash; he led the Heat to two Finals appearances in four years &ndash; and is widely regarded as one of the most clutch postseason performers. His fit with Golden State has been seamless, and the team&rsquo;s defense has improved significantly, ranking 6th in opponent points per game since the trade. The question is how far Butler can carry this version of the Warriors, who still lean heavily on their aging core.
If Butler can replicate his past postseason heroics and stay healthy, the Warriors have a real shot to upset higher-seeded teams and return to the Finals.
Memphis Grizzlies &mdash; Can they survive this tough season?
No team has faced more adversity this year than the Memphis Grizzlies. Between Ja Morant&rsquo;s on-court antics, injuries to key players, and coaching instability and firing, Memphis stumbled to a slump at the end of the regular season but managed to squeak into the playoffs as the 8-seed. Despite the chaos, the team has shown remarkable resilience, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and rookie Zach Edey emerging as bright spots with their improved play.
Now they face the top-seeded Thunder in a first-round matchup that few give them a chance to win. But if there&rsquo;s one thing the Grizzlies have shown, it&rsquo;s that they won&rsquo;t go down without a fight. Their defense could keep them competitive, and their physical style of play may pose problems for the Thunder.
Ultimately, the playoffs may serve more as a building block than a real title push. But if Memphis can steal a game or two &mdash; or even push OKC to the brink &mdash; it would be a testament to the team&rsquo;s grit and foundation heading into next season.

Breaking down the biggest question each Western Conference team faces heading into the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

2025 NBA Western Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question in the playoffs

In a heartfelt ceremony at Barclays Center on January 25, 2025, the Brooklyn Nets honored Vince Carter by retiring his iconic No. 15 jersey. This tribute, held during halftime of the Nets' game against the Miami Heat, marks the seventh jersey retirement in the franchise's history.&nbsp;
Carter, visibly moved during the ceremony, reflected on his tenure with the Nets from 2004 to 2009. During this period, he earned three All-Star selections and became the third-leading scorer in the franchise's NBA history. He expressed deep gratitude, stating, "This is truly something my family and I will cherish forever."&nbsp;
The event was graced by Carter's family, former teammates, ex-coach Lawrence Frank, team president Rod Thorn, and fellow Nets legends Julius Erving, Bill Melchionni, and Buck Williams. A poignant video tribute narrated by Erving, along with messages from Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, added to the evening's significance.&nbsp;
Carter's No. 15 now joins the esteemed ranks of Nets' retired numbers, including Dražen Petrović (#3), Jason Kidd (#5), John Williamson (#23), Bill Melchionni (#25), Julius Erving (#32), and Buck Williams (#52).
This honor underscores Carter's lasting impact on the Nets and the broader basketball community, celebrating a career that inspired many and left an indelible mark on the sport.&nbsp;

On January 25 2025 at the Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets honored Vince Carter by retiring his iconic No. 15 jersey.

Brooklyn Nets retire Vince Carter’s no.15 jersey

With the 2024-25 NBA season just days away, the Western Conference is locked, loaded, and ready for battle. The offseason drama has settled, rosters are finalized, and every team is gearing up for what promises to be a fierce and competitive race. From reigning contenders to rising underdogs, the West is stacked with talent and ambition. Let&rsquo;s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season&mdash;no frills, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li> Minnesota Timberwolves The Timberwolves are turning a new page after trading away longtime cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and are now fully embracing Anthony Edwards as the franchise cornerstone. The T-Wolves&rsquo; mix of young talent and veteran leadership gives them a balanced roster around Edwards. Rudy Gobert remains a defensive anchor as a 4-time DPOY, Edwards is primed for a superstar leap, and if the supporting cast, including Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, steps up, the Wolves could be ready to take the top spot in the West.</li>
<li> Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder&rsquo;s rebuild is no longer a long-term project; they&rsquo;re ready to compete now. However, due to Isaiah Hartenstein&rsquo;s injury to start the season, we&rsquo;re placing the Thunder at no.2 for now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already an All-NBA guard and arguably a top 5 player in the league. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams figure out to be the dynamic inside-out duo around SGA. Add in Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, the two new acquisitions this offseason with their capable role players Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe, this young core is as versatile as it is exciting. OKC&rsquo;s depth and versatility on both ends of the floor could propel them into serious title contention.</li>
<li> Phoenix Suns The Suns have loaded up for a title run, and with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal leading the charge, Phoenix has one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the league. They have added their most significant hole which is the PG spot with a solid pick up in Tyus Jones, and they have one of the best offensive coaches in the league in Mike Budenholzer. The Suns&rsquo; questions lie in their depth and health, but if they can manage those concerns, they&rsquo;re built for a championship push. Their offensive firepower is unmatched, and if they click, the Suns will be a team no one wants to face.</li>
<li> Memphis Grizzlies Memphis has weathered their offseason storms and enters the season with a gritty identity intact. Ja Morant is back after his injury and suspension last year and he will now play with last season&rsquo;s addition Marcus Smart. Together with the continued growth of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies are primed to be competitive and come back from their prime two seasons ago where they won 50+ games. Memphis&rsquo; defensive dominance paired with offensive firepower ensures they can be one of the top teams in the West with a deep bench with solid role players.</li>
<li> Denver Nuggets After falling short to Minnesota in 7 games last playoffs, the Nuggets will enter the season with their core mostly intact. Nikola Jokić remains the most dominant center and the best player in the game. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthy, the Nuggets are poised for another deep run. But perhaps their biggest loss this season was losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency and that might be a hit so they&rsquo;re currently ranked at no.5 to start the year. It could be a lot to ask for young players like Christian Braun or Julian Strawther to fill the void left by KCP, so it will be interesting to see how Denver handles his loss this season.</li>
<li> Dallas Mavericks Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving experiment is back after a successful season last year, where Dallas entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 &ndash; when they won the title. The two stars can mesh to create one of the league&rsquo;s most potent offenses and with the continued internal development of young players like Dereck Lively, the Mavs can build on that Finals appearance. With newcomer Klay Thompson set to provide historic spacing for their dynamic duo, Dallas has the talent to climb the standings and challenge the top teams in the West.</li>
<li> New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans&rsquo; fate will always hinge on Zion Williamson&rsquo;s health. When Zion plays, New Orleans is a force to be reckoned with. Now paired with newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, they have a balanced attack capable of competing with any team in the conference with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum still on the fold. If Zion stays on the floor, the Pelicans could find themselves rising up the ranks, but his availability remains the biggest X-factor.</li>
<li> Golden State Warriors The Warriors are clinging to their championship window with Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level. The addition of capable veterans in Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and DeAnthony Melton gives them depth and personnel that can play in their offense to surround the core of Curry and Draymond Green for their foundation. Health and age are concerns, but if their veterans stay intact, Golden State can&rsquo;t be counted out.</li>
<li> Sacramento Kings The Kings struggled a bit last season after making their long-awaited playoff return two seasons ago, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on that momentum. They have signed DeMar DeRozan and he should bring a new wrinkle to their motion and three-hunting offense. DeRozan&rsquo;s mid range ability should be a welcome addition to Sacramento&rsquo;s offense. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis still lead an explosive offense, but defense remains a question mark. Sacramento&rsquo;s high-flying, fast-paced style makes them a regular-season juggernaut, but they&rsquo;ll need to tighten up defensively if they want to make a deep playoff run.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers are counting on LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy for a full season. With the front office standing pat on making moves this offseason, the Lakers&rsquo; success will hinge on their superstar duo. If LeBron and AD can avoid injury, Los Angeles will be a formidable playoff team, but health is always a looming concern with this group.</li>
<li> Houston Rockets The Rockets added veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to guide their young core last season and this season could be the time for them to step up. They finished strong last year behind defensive minded coach Ime Udoka and the result could be a team that surprises many. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have star potential, and younger players Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson add even more excitement. The Rockets also drafted Reed Sheppard with the 3rd pick and Houston is hoping to lay the foundation for success and could push for a Play-In spot this season.</li>
<li> San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama enters his second season, and the Spurs are fully embracing their rebuild around the budding star. While Wembanyama showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, San Antonio is still in the development phase. But with the addition of Chris Paul, the Spurs now have a capable PG to feed Wemby and the other guys, possibly unlocking a new level to their games. With their young core, the Spurs may not be a playoff team yet, but their future looks incredibly bright with Wembanyama leading the way.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers&rsquo; fortunes rest on the health of Kawhi Leonard&mdash;again. After losing Paul George for nothing, Leonard is left to fend LA off by himself in their new arena at Intuit Dome. Gone are the days when LA has the talent to compete with anyone as they&rsquo;re just but a shell of themselves. Leading the way for the injured Leonard will be a 34-year-old James Harden and that might be too much to ask of the aging superstar. However, if Kawhi can return healthy and he can avoid the injury bug, the Clippers will be in the playoff mix, but that&rsquo;s a big &ldquo;if&rdquo; for this squad.</li>
<li> Portland Trail Blazers With Damian Lillard long gone, the Blazers will fully commit another season to their rebuild. Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe form a promising young core, but Portland will likely spend this season focusing on player development. While they won&rsquo;t be in playoff contention, the Blazers are positioning themselves well for the future, with an eye on growth and improvement.</li>
<li> Utah Jazz The Jazz are continuing their rebuild, with Lauri Markkanen emerging as a cornerstone player. While they have some intriguing young pieces like Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George, Utah isn&rsquo;t ready to compete just yet. This season will be about development and finding which young players can be part of their long-term plans. The Jazz may not win many games this year, but they&rsquo;re building toward a brighter future.</li>
</ol>

Let’s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season.

2024-2025 NBA Western Conference Power Rankings: A race at the top to start the year

Views are the author&rsquo;s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the website.
The 2023-2024 NBA season has wrapped up and the race for the league&rsquo;s annual awards has officially ended. Here&rsquo;s a look at my picks of the NBA's award winners.
Most Improved Player: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
(Runner-ups: Coby White, Jalen Johnson)
Notes: In the end, Tyrese Maxey takes the award with the amount of burden and responsibility in a Philadelphia team reeling from the loss of James Harden to become a true No. 2 option behind reigning MVP Joel Embiid. White improved a lot this year, increasing his averages both numbers and his shooting percentages. Johnson, like White, has also increased his usage and averages by a lot, featuring as the third option behind DeJounte Murray and Trae Young, or even as the second option without one of those two. A jumbo playmaking forward, Johnson showed improvements in his playmaking as well as his ability to score and had increased numbers in shooting as well. Ultimately, Maxey wins this award out because he was a guy who increased his usage and his role while playing most of the season without Embiid.
Sixth Man of the Year: Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
(Runner-ups: Malik Monk, Bobby Portis)
Notes: Naz Reid has been the best player off the bench this season with the way he has been an offensive spark plug for the Timberwolves this season. He&rsquo;s had a phenomenal season, and he had to start and fill in for Karl-Anthony Towns when he went down while still being an efficient scorer as he is. If you factor in all the stuff for these awards, you could actually make a case for Monk, for Portis, maybe even guys like Norman Powell for the Clippers and Bogdan Bogdanovic for the Hawks. But with Minnesota going 56-26 and having the second most wins in franchise history &ndash; ultimately ending up atop the three best teams in the West, this gives a little bit of boost to Naz Reid due to his importance to the team.
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
(Runner-ups: Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis; Honorable mention: Bam Adebayo)
Notes: One of the hardest awards to figure out. Minnesota had the best defense in the league for a reason, and based on that Rudy Gobert would be a deserving winner of the award. When he&rsquo;s off the floor, the team does not perform defensively the way it does when Gobert is on the floor. This was hard because Wembanyama had a legitimate case, being the generational defender that he was. Davis also had a strong case with how he carried single-handedly the Lakers&rsquo; defense, while Adebayo had the immense burden of playing all the defensive schemes in Miami. Ultimately, it ended up with Gobert with the way he lifted a good defensive team to the best in the league, manning that paint and being that anchor that holds all of the pieces together.
All-Defensive Team:
1st Team - Rudy Gobert, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Herb Jones
2nd Team - Derrick White, Jalen Suggs, Jaden McDaniels, Alex Caruso, Jonathan Isaac
Notes: Starting this year, the NBA&rsquo;s All-NBA teams and defensive teams were positionless so I had to cheat a little bit here, putting 4 bigs in the 1st team. Gobert, Wembanyama, Davis, and Adebayo are no-brainers considering their defensive impact for each of their teams, while Jones takes the last spot in the 1st team for his ability to disrupt offenses as well as guarding each team&rsquo;s best player night in and night out for the Pelicans.&nbsp;
The second team features White (most blocks for a guard), Suggs and Isaac (best defensive players for the 4th best defense in the league, helping to lead the Magic back to the playoffs), McDaniels (best wing defender for the best defense in the league), and the perennial all-defense player Caruso who brings it in defensively every game.
Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
(Runner-up: Chet Holmgren)
Notes: Despite Holmgren having far and away the better team success, there&rsquo;s no denying Wembanyama&rsquo;s greatness in his rookie year. The French phenom has transcended the game both figuratively and on the eye test &ndash; he is simply a generational talent who is going to take over the league soon. Holmgren got off to a hot start in the first two months of the season but since January, Wembanyama has locked up the award for himself with out-of-the-world numbers for a rookie. He was dubbed as the best prospect since LeBron James and now he is well on his way to being one of the greatest of all time if he remains healthy after a historic rookie season.
All-Rookie Team:
1st Team - Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Miller, Jaime Jaquez Jr., GG Jackson
2nd Team - Ausar Thompson, Amen Thompson, Keyonte George, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis
Notes: There were several names to choose from here, and it felt hard to cut some of them here. Jordan Hawkins of the Pelicans has had a good start to the year when the team had all those injuries paving the way for him to play early into the season but has seen the bench since as NOLA got healthier and players came back; Cason Wallace had such a good shooting year off the bench for the No.1 seeded Thunder despite shooting being labeled by scouts as his biggest weakness coming into the NBA; Dereck Lively II being center that Luka Doncic needed and fit well with by catching all those lobs and helping the Mavs&rsquo; defense this season big time; No.2 overall pick Scoot Henderson had a good close to his rookie year.
All in all, these 10 rookies have felt like the best rookies in terms of production, opportunity, and narratives surrounding them. Of course, Wembanyama and Holmgren are automatic locks; Miller has been the best player in Charlotte without LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams; Jaquez is a vital piece off the bench for Erik Spoelstra&rsquo;s playoff-bound Heat team; and GG Jackson becoming a legit NBA scorer despite being the youngest player in the league to round out the first team.
The Thompson twins have just been defensive monsters ever since stepping foot in the league; George playing point guard at Utah has turned some heads and he has stepped up with the opportunity given to him; while Podziemski and Jackson-Davis have arguably been rotational pieces to the Warriors despite being rookies and has contributed a lot to them finding a way to fit in a complex team.
Coach of the Year: Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
(Runner-ups: Chris Finch, Jamahl Mosley)
Notes: There have been so many good coaches this season that have elevated their teams to good records, say Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets and Tom Thibodeau from the New York Knicks. But my Coach of the Year pick goes to Mark Daigneault of the OKC Thunder because this award tends to favor the expectations set for a team before the start of the season. The Thunder weren&rsquo;t supposed to be this good this season, but Daigneault catapulted them into one of the best teams not just in the West but the entire NBA. The evidence is written on the wall: No.1 in the West despite being the second youngest team in the league; having a top 5 ranking on both offense and defense and no.2 overall net rating. Finch and Mosley take the runner-up spots with the work they had to lift both the Timberwolves and the Magic to being top 4 seeds in their conferences as well as having top-rated defenses in the league.
Clutch Player of the Year: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
(Runner-ups: DeMar DeRozan, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)
Notes: Another tough and close race, but ultimately it goes to Curry. Despite the Warriors&rsquo; so-so record, Curry had the most clutch time points, shot 50% from the field, and 46% from three in clutch time. Curry had the most threes than anyone in crunch time &ndash; being just the incredible clutch-time performer that he is &ndash; and always been.
All-NBA Team:
1st Team - Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum
2nd Team - Jalen Brunson, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James
3rd Team - Stephen Curry, Domantas Sabonis, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton
Notes: With Jalen Brunson carrying the Knicks to a second seed in the East playing without Julius Randle since January, it was incredibly hard to leave him off the 1st team. However, by the slightest of margins, I gave the nod to Tatum for being the best player on the best team in the league by a wide margin.
All the other picks were pretty explanatory, with the top 4 in the MVP race in Jokic, Doncic, SGA, and Giannis all expected to be first-teamers. The second team kind of got tougher besides Brunson, with legends Durant and James making the list because of the seasons they had leading their team as well as playing their most regular season game in years. Rounding out the second team were Edwards and Davis, two stars with the biggest impacts on their teams in the tough Western Conference.
The third team is actually a toss-up with a lot of good cases from the league all around, but ultimately I went with Curry, Sabonis, Leonard, Booker, and Haliburton.
Most Valuable Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&nbsp;
(Runners-up: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic; Honorable mention: Giannis Antetokounmpo)
Perhaps the closest race out of all the awards, all three players here are each deserving with their narratives and the numbers that support each of their cases. You can never go wrong picking one over the other, so it came down to personal opinion on who I thought had the strongest case this season. His case?
-Leading the second youngest team in the league to No.1 in the West
-3-1 series vs Denver
-3-1 series vs Dallas
-First player since Steph and MJ to average 30/5/5 in a season with 2+ steals
-Second in defensive net rating for guards
One could make the argument for Nikola Jokic being the best player in the world having better numbers than his two MVP seasons while Luka Doncic had one of the best seasons statistically in all facets of the game, but there&rsquo;s no denying SGA&rsquo;s strong case as well given the expectations for this young Thunder team.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is my MVP.

The 2023-2024 NBA season has wrapped up and the race for the league’s annual awards has officially ended.

OPINION: Picking the 2023-2024 NBA Awards winners

After monitoring the NBA awards races all season, Nekias Duncan shares his final selections for DPOY, ROY, MIP, 6MOY and more.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA award selections: DPOY, 6MOY, MIP, more

Scoring was up in the NBA this season, to a level not seen in more than a half-century.
NBA teams averaged 114.7 points per game. That&rsquo;s the ninth-highest figure in the league&rsquo;s 77 seasons and the most since teams averaged 116.7 per game in 1969-70.
It represents a jump of 3.7% over last season.
A record 282,127 points were scored this season, smashing the previous mark of 273,573 set in 2018-19.
FREE THROW RECORD
The NBA has never had a better season from the foul line. Again.
The league-wide record for accuracy will fall for the third time in the last four seasons. Teams have combined to shoot 78.2% from the line this season.
That topped the 77.8% mark from two seasons ago. And while that difference &mdash; a mere 0.4% &mdash; doesn&rsquo;t look like much, it is. NBA teams could have combined to miss their first 200 free throws on Sunday when the regular season was ending and still have been on pace to set a season record.
A BOSTON FIRST
When you&rsquo;ve done something that&rsquo;s never been done before in Boston Celtics history, that&rsquo;s impressive.
So, take a bow, Jayson Tatum.
The forward averaged 30.1 points per game this season &mdash; the most ever by a Celtics player. John Havlicek and Isaiah Thomas each averaged 28.9 in their best seasons in Boston, and Larry Bird averaged 29.9 in 1987-88, but Tatum is the first to average 30.
Bird technically averaged 29.93 points that season, and two more points would have given him 29.95, which many would have rounded up to 30.0. He was five points shy that season of averaging exactly 30 per game.
BRIDGES&rsquo; STREAK
Brooklyn&rsquo;s Mikal Bridges technically missed a game this season, but his consecutive games-played streak &mdash; now 392 games and counting &mdash; lives on because he wasn&rsquo;t eligible to play while the Nets were completing the process of acquiring him in a trade with the Phoenix Suns.
Regardless, he still played in a league-best 83 games this season. It&rsquo;s quirky, since a season is 82 games, but the Nets had more games to play than the Suns did when the trade happened. And it lived on in Sunday&rsquo;s season finale because Bridges appeared for the first 4 seconds to extend the streak, then checked out for the day.
Bridges didn&rsquo;t miss a game at Villanova, either. His last missed game was in high school.
Bridges is the first player to appear in 83 games in a season since Josh Smith in 2014-15. Bridges was one of 10 players to not miss a game this season &mdash; Houston&rsquo;s Tari Eason and Kenyon Martin Jr., Chicago&rsquo;s Nikola Vucevic and Patrick Williams, Boston&rsquo;s Derrick White, Golden State teammates Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole, New York&rsquo;s Isaiah Hartenstein and Sacramento&rsquo;s Harrison Barnes also played in all 82 for their clubs this season.
The NBA&rsquo;s all-time record for games in a season probably is one of those records that&rsquo;ll never be broken. Walt Bellamy played in 88 games in 1968-69 &mdash; 35 with New York, then 53 with Detroit.
SCORING MARGIN
San Antonio was outscored by just over 10 points per game this season &mdash; the worst margin in Spurs history.
It was the 20th time in NBA history that a team had been outscored, on average, by double digits for an entire season.
3&rsquo;s DOWN
For nine straight seasons &mdash; 2012-13 through 2020-21 &mdash; the NBA saw a record set annually for 3-pointers made per game.
It seems the growth era from beyond the arc has plateaued.
For the second consecutive year, 3-pointers made dropped this season, albeit slightly. The league saw an average of 24.7 3s per game this season, down from 24.9 per game last season and the record 25.4 per game in 2020-21.
The league finished the regular season with 30,359 3s made &mdash; just off the record total of 30,598 last season. But teams also attempted, on average, about 3% fewer 3-pointers this season than they did a year ago.
3s UP
That said, there were more highly prolific 3-point shooters this season than ever before. The league finished with 20 players with at least 200 3-pointers &mdash; the most ever, just ahead of the 18 who made at least 200 3s last season.
The 20 in the 200 Club this year: Golden State&rsquo;s Klay Thompson, Indiana&rsquo;s Buddy Hield, Golden State&rsquo;s Stephen Curry, Cleveland&rsquo;s Donovan Mitchell, Portland&rsquo;s Damian Lillard, Boston&rsquo;s Jayson Tatum, Brooklyn&rsquo;s Malik Beasley, New York&rsquo;s Julius Randle, Dallas&rsquo; Tim Hardaway Jr., Portland&rsquo;s Anfernee Simons, New Orleans&rsquo; CJ McCollum, Golden State&rsquo;s Jordan Poole, Toronto&rsquo;s Fred VanVleet, Minnesota&rsquo;s Anthony Edwards, Sacramento&rsquo;s Keegan Murray, Miami&rsquo;s Tyler Herro, Sacramento&rsquo;s Kevin Huerter, Chicago&rsquo;s Zach LaVine, New Orleans&rsquo; Trey Murphy III and Utah&rsquo;s Lauri Markkanen.
AND 3s RECORDS
The Warriors finished with 1,363 3-pointers as a team, the most by any team in an NBA season. The previous record was 1,323 by the 2018-19 Houston Rockets.
Four of the six most prolific 3-point seasons in NBA history happened this season: The Warriors broke the record for a team, Boston (1,315) finished eight behind Houston&rsquo;s 2018-19 mark, Dallas (1,246) made the fifth-most in a season and Milwaukee (1,217) made the sixth-most in a season.
Golden State, Boston, Dallas and Milwaukee obviously also set their franchise single-season record for total 3s made. So did Brooklyn, Indiana, the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Sacramento.
BETTING STATS
Those who bet the Oklahoma City Thunder all season long probably did quite well.
The Thunder covered the spread a league-best 58.5% of the time this season, just ahead of Orlando and Philadelphia (57.3%).
The Los Angeles Lakers were a perfect 50% against the spread &mdash; 41 times covering, 41 times not.
Dallas and San Antonio bettors likely weren&rsquo;t happy. Those clubs both covered only 39% of the time, just a bit worse than Miami and Detroit (both 40.5%).
ONE OF EACH
Golden State&rsquo;s 56-point win over Portland on Sunday was the biggest of the season. The biggest rout going into the season&rsquo;s final day was a 45-point win by New Orleans on Nov. 21 &mdash; against the Warriors.
That made the Warriors the first team since the 1997-98 Trail Blazers to win a game by at least 45, and lose a game by at least 45, in the same season.
Portland beat Dallas 120-75 on Nov. 17, 1998. The Blazers lost to Indiana 124-59 on Feb. 27, 1998.

Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press breaks down the 2022-23 NBA season by the numbers.

Inside the NBA numbers: A look at the season’s stats

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Trey Murphy III scored 31 points, C.J. McCollum added 23 and the New Orleans Pelicans improved their chances of avoiding the play-in round with a 113-105 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.
The Pelicans (42-39) will need to beat Minnesota on the road in their regular-season finale Sunday and get some help from some combination of Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers to climb higher than the seventh seed. They also will finish above .500 for the first time since 2017-18.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tremendous blessing to have a winning record,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to win in the NBA.&rdquo;
The Knicks, locked into the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, were without leading scorer Julius Randle (ankle injury), second-leading scorer Jalen Brunson (right hand) and center Mitchell Robinson (rest). The game began inauspiciously when Herb Jones blocked RJ Barrett&rsquo;s 3-point shot and Immanuel Quickley threw a wild pass into the seats on their first two possessions, but they hung around until the final two minutes.
Trailing 100-99, New Orleans went ahead for good on Jones&rsquo; drive for a lay-up and took a 106-100 lead on McCollum&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 3:22 left. After the Knicks closed to 106-103, Brandon Ingram lobbed one-handed to Jones in the corner for another 3 with 1:40 left.
&ldquo;He (Ingram) makes some nice passes and that one was crazy,&rdquo; McCollum said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s smart and knows how to read the defense.&rdquo;
Murphy, who had hit at least six 3s every time he scored 30 points or more in his two-year career, had 20 points in the first half despite sinking only one from long distance. He finished 3 for 10 on 3s.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re watching Trey grow up right in front of us,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s having a better understanding that when teams close out on him, it&rsquo;s a quick decision for him getting to the basket and finishing, drawing fouls or kicking it out to teammates.&rdquo;
Barrett led New York with 28 points. Quickley added 24, hitting six 3s, but the Knicks did not get enough stops, allowing the Pelicans to shoot 53.2 percent. Jones finished 7 of 7.
&ldquo;I like the effort, I didn&rsquo;t like our defense,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;We did a very good job offensively, creating open shots and we missed some really good shots. We were in a position all the way to the end. We didn&rsquo;t do enough things to win but we put ourselves in a position to win and fell short.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Knicks: Obi Toppin started for only the fourth time this season, with Isaiah Hartenstein getting his eighth start. New York&rsquo;s five-game winning streak ended.
Pelicans: New Orleans executive vice president David Griffin said Friday at the shootaround that Zion Williamson would not return at the earliest until a first-round playoff series, missing the last game of the regular season and any play-in games. Williamson has been out with a hamstring injury since Jan. 2. &hellip; New Orleans finished 27-14 at home, its best home record since 2014-15 when it went 28-13.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Indiana on Sunday to finish the regular season.
Pelicans: At Minnesota on Sunday to close the regular season.

Murphy scored 31 points, and the Pelicans improved their chances of avoiding the play-in round with a 113-105 victory over the Knicks.

Trey Murphy III scores 31 points, Pelicans beat Knicks 113-105

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 38 points, playing 55 minutes in place of injured starter Jalen Brunson, and the New York Knicks outlasted the Boston Celtics 131-129 in two overtimes Sunday night for their season-high ninth straight victory.
Quickley had seven points in the second overtime and added eight rebounds and seven assists with Brunson sidelined because of soreness in his left foot.
&ldquo;It was a huge performance by him,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;I was going to give him rest at the start of the fourth, but then he knocked down a couple of shots and I thought the game was in the balance right there.&rdquo;
Julius Randle had 31 points and nine rebounds, and RJ Barrett finished with 29 points and 11 boards for the Knicks, who held on when Boston&rsquo;s Al Horford front-rimmed a 3-pointer from the right corner just before the final buzzer.
&ldquo;I just think I rushed it a little bit,&rdquo; Horford said. &ldquo;I felt like I didn&rsquo;t stay with my shot long enough.&rdquo;
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 40 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and Horford finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Boston, which owned the NBA&rsquo;s best record for much of the season, has dropped three of four and is a 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s top spot.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve just got to get our swagger back,&rdquo; Celtics guard Derrick White said. &ldquo;Find a way to play with each other, have fun out there. I&rsquo;m sure we&rsquo;ll get it back here soon.&rdquo;
Randle had 43 points in a victory at Miami on Friday that included an off-balance, game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
The Celtics were also missing a couple of key players in starting center Robert Williams III (left hamstring tightness) and reserve guard Malcolm Brogdon (right ankle soreness).
Quickley scored New York&rsquo;s first seven points of the second overtime on a 3-pointer and two driving baskets,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1632585752365211649?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">skipping in front of Boston&rsquo;s bench</a>&nbsp;celebrating after the last basket made it 128-123.
&ldquo;When I laid it up, it was still rolling around, so I kind of skipped it, willed it in,&rdquo; he said, smiling when explaining his last basket. &ldquo;I just kept skipping down the floor. I was having fun, though.&rdquo;
Horford nailed a 3-pointer from the right corner with 29.2 seconds left to push Boston ahead 121-119 in the first OT after Randle&rsquo;s two free throws had moved the Knicks in front.
But Quickley&rsquo;s driving one-handed flip in the lane tied it before Tatum missed on his baseline drive, sending it to double OT.
&ldquo;You celebrate the team and you celebrate winning,&rdquo; Thibodeau said of Quickley&rsquo;s dancing, at times, after key baskets. &ldquo;I want our team to have fun, I want them to have joy, but I don&rsquo;t want it to get lost and I don&rsquo;t want it to get twisted.&rdquo;
Brown&rsquo;s three-point play with 12.9 seconds left sent it to overtime.
Coming off an embarrassing home loss in their last game when they blew a 28-point lead against Brooklyn, the Celtics had opened a 14-point edge midway into the third quarter. The Knicks closed the quarter with a 9-0 surge and pushed their advantage to 100-89 on Obi Toppin&rsquo;s driving layup early in the final quarter.
BAD EXAMPLE
Randle was whistled for a technical by referee Brett Nansel when he was showing what happened after being called for an offensive foul. The problem was he used his left shoulder to bump into Nansel&rsquo;s chest as he was explaining it.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Quickley hit a 3 for the game&rsquo;s first basket, raising his fingers in celebration. &hellip; Brunson was the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s player of the month for February, averaging 27.3 points, six assists and shooting 52.9%.
Celtics: Coach Joe Mazzulla said Williams could be out &ldquo;seven to 10 days.&rdquo; &hellip; Tatum was ejected with two technical fouls in the teams&rsquo; last meeting, a 109-94 loss in New York.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday.
Celtics: At the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday

Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 38 points, and the Knicks outlasted the Celtics 131-129 in two overtimes on Sunday night.

Immanuel Quickley scores 38 in start, Knicks outlast Celtics in 2 OTs

Nekias Duncan checks back in with this year's NBA award races with an in-depth look at who leads the pack through the end of February.

2022-23 NBA award front-runners Vol. 2: MVP, DPOY, ROY, more

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Julius Randle scored 28 points to lead New York to a 128-106 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night as the Knicks celebrated the golden anniversary of their 1972-73 NBA championship team.
Six players scored in double figures for New York, which won its fifth straight. R.J. Barrett had 25 points and a season-high seven assists. Jalen Brunson added 20 points, Josh Hart scored 15 points, Immanuel Quickley added 13, and Mitchell Robinson finished with a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a team, any given night it&rsquo;s going to be different,&rdquo; Barrett said, when asked if the 2022-23 Knicks were emulating their 1972-73 predecessors by playing unselfish basketball. &ldquo;We did a great job sharing the ball. Everybody kind of had a great game.&rdquo;
Brandon Ingram scored 19 points for the Pelicans, who lost their third straight and fourth in five games overall. Josh Richardson added 16 points, C.J. McCollum finished with 13 and Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Trey Murphy III scored 11 off the bench.
&ldquo;We have to be better and I (have to) hold our guys more accountable,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;That standard in which we played with tonight is not us.&rdquo;
New York was playing the second half of a back-to-back, coming off a 115-109 win over the Wizards a night earlier in Washington. Meanwhile the Pelicans last played Thursday, falling 115-110 loss to the Raptors in Toronto.
The Knicks came out looking like the fresher team, building a 42-26 advantage after the first quarter, and extending the lead to 73-52 at halftime.
Randle (19), Barrett (13), and Brunson (12) combined for 44 points as New York shot 54.3% from the field (25 for 46) and 50% from 3-point distance (13 for 26). New York&rsquo;s 13 3-pointers in the first half matched a season high.
&ldquo;Got off to a good start,&rdquo; said Randle, &ldquo;and sustained it.&rdquo;
The Pelicans trailed by as many as 27 points midway through the third. Despite going on a 19-12 run to close out the period, New Orleans trailed 102-82 entering the fourth.
New York opened the fourth with a 12-8 spurt, highlighted by Robinson&rsquo;s one-handed alley-oop dunk. And Randle&rsquo;s two-handed dunk off of Quickley&rsquo;s off-the-backboard-pass all but ended any hopes of a comeback by the Pelicans.
New Orleans lost reserve forward Larry Nance Jr. in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle. He did not return. Nance was defending Quickley and landed awkwardly while attempting to contest a layup. Nance was down on the court for a few minutes and had to be helped to the locker room.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: Here is what Green knows: He and his team will have star Zion Williamson return from a right hamstring injury at some point this season. Green and his team suspect Williamson&rsquo;s return will happen before the playoffs begin. What is unknown is how Williamson will be reintroduced to the roster. &ldquo;Once (we know) he&rsquo;s ready it&rsquo;s something that (Executive Vice-President of Basketball Operations David Griffin and) our performance team and medical (staff) and coaches sit down and talk about what&rsquo;s the best plan,&rdquo; Green said. Entering the game, the Pelicans had lost 17 of 24 games played in 2023 without Williamson in the lineup.
Knicks: Throughout the game, the Knicks paid homage to their 1972-73 championship team with video testimonials and a halftime ceremony. And perhaps no person in Madison Square Garden could better appreciate that team more than Tom Thibodeau, who grew up in Connecticut rooting for the Knicks. &ldquo;That was such a great team,&rdquo; Thibodeau said during his pregame press conference. &ldquo;They were so unselfish. They played great defense. &hellip; That was such a fun team but it&rsquo;s what they embodied and how they played for each other. I think it resonated with the city.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Host Orlando on Monday.
Knicks: Host Boston on Monday.

New York defeated the Pelicans 128-106, as the Knicks celebrated the golden anniversary of their 1972-73 NBA championship team.

Knicks rout Pelicans while honoring 1973 championship squad

The trade deadline is fast approaching and the Memphis Grizzlies have to make an important decision.
Grizzlies general manager and executive vice president Zach Kleiman has been doing his best Marvel impression by living in a multiverse, attempting to walk out two timelines: contending and developing.
The core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane is in its third year together and, when healthy, is one of the top trios in the entire NBA. More importantly, only Jackson is beyond his rookie contract, as Morant and Bane are both still on rookie deals. This fact has led to a polarizing debate surrounding the Grizzlies.
When Memphis knocked the Golden State Warriors out of the first NBA Play-In Tournament, everyone raved at the "ahead-of-schedule" nature of this team. Last season, the team traded away Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams and a shot at developing Ziaire Williams and Santi Aldama. Kleiman was trying to develop ancillary pieces while still putting a competitive product on the floor.
Morant and the Grizzlies surprised everyone, finishing with the second-best record in the league and pushing the eventual-champion Warriors to six games in arguably Golden State's toughest series last year. The "ahead-of-schedule" Grizzlies were still given a pass because they were young and overacheiving.&nbsp;
Memphis is still the second seed in the Western Conference despite losing eight of their last nine contests. Injuries have been a huge factor as Jackson (17 games), Bane (22), Adams (10) and Morant (8) have all missed time due to injury. With the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, the question is whether Kleiman will push the chips in and go for a title piece this year or continue on his multiverse timeline.
Re-signing Adams and Tyus Jones suggests Memphis is interested in contending. Trading away De'Anthony Melton, who struggled mightily in the postseason, suggests the same. Playing Ziaire Williams, David Roddy and Jake LaRavia is the organization attempting to sneak in development. It makes sense, as you have to find the right role players on affordable deals (in this case, rookie contracts) who can have winning impact around your big three.&nbsp;
But even if it makes sense, there is also the flip side. At some point, you are no longer ahead of schedule and overachieving. At some point, the schedule and timeline eventually readjust to the progress that has been made, and a new schedule begins. The Grizzlies are no longer up-and-coming. They are here and the league has adjusted, and so must Memphis.
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There have been social-media posts circling that the Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans both do not want their counterpart to land O.G. Anunoby, and that Memphis would be a perfect fit for OG. This Grizzlies front office has historically moved in silence, and nothing suggests it will overpay in a bidding war for a player who might&nbsp;move the needle toward a title.
Over the next few days, Kleiman will have to decide what is most important for the franchise entrusted to his leadership. The Grizzlies clearly need shooting (still) and perimeter defending &mdash; two things every team is looking for at all times.&nbsp;
Morant, Bane and Jackson are non-starters in any trade conversation (as they should be). They are a core that meshes beautifully. It's the pieces surrounding them that Kleiman has to be willing to part ways with.
One of the most polarizing players in the NBA is Dillon Brooks; you either hate him or you love him. He is on an expiring contract, with his days in Memphis possibly winding away. Brooks' antics on the court and refusal to accept his spot in the pecking order offensively at times have led many to wonder whether he is a long-term fit with the Grizzlies.
With Bane due for a near-max payday, Brooks could be traded at the deadline for assets or given the Kyle Anderson treatment, using his contributions for this run and letting his deal expire at season's end.
Then, there is Jones, who is often lauded as the best backup point guard in the NBA and basically a health-insurance policy for Morant. Memphis needs to send Tyus somewhere he can start and bring in a bigger combo guard who can help Bane run the non-Morant minutes.&nbsp;
Adams and Danny Green are the veterans on the roster who also have extremely tradeable contracts if Kleiman were to do some type of big-game hunting. Adams' presence has allowed Jackson to develop into the Defensive Player of the Year candidate he has become, but at some point, JJJ needs to become the full-time starting 5.&nbsp;
Williams and Xavier Tillman are pieces that Memphis should be willing to include to upgrade their roster. And as well as Memphis has done drafting the last few years, they should now be at the point in this process where first-round picks are on the table.&nbsp;
OUTLINING POTENTIAL TRADE IDEAS
I'm no trade-machine guru, but something along the lines of this framework makes sense for both teams:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-6-2023_1-05-25pm.png" alt="" width="685" height="337" />
Memphis gets to keep its primary defender in Brooks while adding a 24-year-old scorer to come off the bench. If the Toronto Raptors begin a fire sale, they get an expiring contract, two second-round picks (<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjg0d7A8oP9AhVuFlkFHQ-iAGkQFnoECEQQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoopshype.com%2F2023%2F02%2F03%2Fgary-trent-jr-s-trade-value-at-a-protected-first-round-pick-or-two-good-second-rounders%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw2EDYmp9Yp1qneXxEEdRIt_" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trent's reported projected value</a>) and a player who fits their mold of lenghty wings.
The Grizz bench unit is currently 12th in the NBA in scoring at 35.5 points per contest, but is a minus-313 in scoring for the season. They are also 25th in three-point percentage (32.4%) in the league. Adding Gary Trent Jr. could bolster a glaring weakness if Memphis is to be a legitimate contender.&nbsp;
In the interest of getting assets in return for Brooks, Kleiman would likely be choosing to remain on the course of developing players, as Morant, Jackson and Bane are not yet in their primes. Memphis can recoup cheaper, more controllable assets by moving Dillon:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-7-2023_8-25-52am.png" alt="" width="686" height="275" />
In this scenario, Memphis takes a shot on Cam Reddish while finding the eventual Jones replacement in Immanuel Quickley. The Knicks get a perfect-fit player to go with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle in Brooks as they attempt to make a run in the Eastern Conference this postseason, plus a lottery-protected first-rounder from the Grizzlies via the Warriors (from the Andre Iguodala trade in July 2019.)
Speaking of replacing Jones, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins could use a defensive upgrade in the backcourt as well someone with a little more size:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-7-2023_8-55-00am.png" alt="" width="686" height="275" />
The Chicago Bulls are at a crossroads, and if they decide to start rebuilding the makeup of their roster, bringing in Jones as their starting point guard would not be the worst idea. The Grizzlies get two combo guards in Alex Caruso and Coby White in this trade framework.
White is playing the least amount of minutes of his career this season, and could afford a change of scenery. Caruso is a perfect fit for Memphis, as an athletic guard who can defend on the perimeter. This move also fits Kleiman's desire to flirt with two timelines.
These three trades could be a sequence of moves done at once, but there's a next-to-zero chance Memphis makes multiple moves at the deadline, if any. However, there are peripheral moves to be made for Memphis because it seems clear that standing pat and riding it out is no longer the right choice for this franchise.&nbsp;

Justin Lewis explains how the Grizzlies have to move ahead with contention and suggests three possible trades that could help.

Proposing 3 potential trades that could spark the Memphis Grizzlies

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; The Knicks are a young team that&rsquo;s still learning how to string together victories.
They&rsquo;re hoping to bottle several lessons from their latest outing.
Julius Randle had 37 points and nine rebounds, and hit the free throws that gave New York the lead for good in a 120-117 overtime win over the East-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
Jalen Brunson added 29 points, seven assists and a game-ending blocked shot for the Knicks, who have won two straight. RJ Barrett had 19 points and Immanuel Quickley finished with 17 points and five rebounds.
&ldquo;We held our own,&rdquo; Barrett said. &ldquo;We played together and we played hard. We got the good result.&rdquo;
Boston&rsquo;s Jaylen Brown had a chance to put the Celtics ahead with 7.6 seconds remaining, but misfired on two free throws, forcing the Celtics to foul.
&ldquo;Just got to be better,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;Tonight was just a rough game and I&rsquo;m a better basketball player than I played today. Those two free throws embodied the whole game for me.&rdquo;
Jayson Tatum, who was voted an All-Star game starter for the third consecutive season prior to tip-off, finished with 35 points and 14 rebounds. Brown added 22 points and nine rebounds for Boston, which has lost three straight for just the second time this season.
New York led by 13 in the fourth quarter but scored just four points in the final 5:26 of regulation to help the Celtics send the game to OT.
Randle said he never saw panic in his teammates&rsquo; eyes during the Celtics&rsquo; comeback.
&ldquo;Just poise,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been in those type of situations all year. So I feel like we&rsquo;re getting more and more comfortable in those situations.&rdquo;
Boston scored the first five points of the extra frame. New York responded by scoring the next six, taking a 116-115 lead on Barrett&rsquo;s 3-pointer from the wing.
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t have a good shooting night, but I was ready to take that shot,&rdquo; Barrett said. &ldquo;I feel like we&rsquo;re getting more comfortable in those situations.&rdquo;
Brown nudged the Celtics back in front with a driving layup out of a timeout with 24 seconds remaining. Randle&rsquo;s two free throws then put New York back in front for good at 118-117.
Boston had a final chance to tie but Brunson blocked Malcolm Brogdon&rsquo;s 3-point try.
Tatum hit his first five shots of the night. He struggled in the second and third quarters but had 11 in the fourth quarter to lead Boston&rsquo;s rally.
The Celtics struggled to find an offensive flow throughout, shooting 41% with 13 turnovers.
FRANTIC FINISH
The Knicks outscored the Celtics 33-25 in the third quarter and took a six-point edge into the fourth.
The lead grew to 102-89 on a pair of free throws by Miles McBride with just over seven minutes to play. The Celtics charged back and had a chance to win it regulation, but Tatum missed a 19-footer and Robert Williams had his follow shot blocked as time expired.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Randle had a driving, one-handed dunk over Tatum late in the third that was part of a 14-5 run to put New York in front 87-78. . &hellip; Outscored the Celtics 48-42 in the paint. &hellip; Evan Fournier missed his second straight game (personal reasons).
Celtics: Dropped to 18-6 at home, with three of those defeats coming in overtime. ... Marcus Smart sat for the third straight game with a sprained right ankle. Interim coach Joe Mazzulla said he is wearing a special sock to help reduce swelling. He remains day-to-day. &hellip; Boston hit 7 of their first 9 attempts from the field and led by as many as 15 points in the first quarter. They finished the period by hitting 5 of their final 18 shots and held a 60-58 halftime lead. &hellip; Tuesday marked the Celtics&rsquo; 6,000th regular-season game.
&nbsp;

Julius Randle had 37 points and hit the free throws that gave New York the lead for good in a 120-117 overtime win over Boston.

Randle scores 37, Knicks rally to beat Celtics 120-117 in OT

The first returns for NBA All-Star voting were <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/lebron-james-kevin-durant-lead-early-in-2023-nba-all-star-starter-voting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released on Thursday afternoon</a>. For those who have been following the season somewhat closely, there weren't many surprises among the top of the list.
LeBron James and Kevin Durant are the top vote-getters, slated to be captains for their respective conferences. Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic will likely start in the backcourt for the Western Conference; Kyrie Irving and Donovan Mitchell, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-breaking-news-donovan-mitchell-scores-nbaseasonhigh-cavs-franchisebest-71-in-win" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mr. 71 himself</a>, headline the guards in the Eastern Conference.
We have four-men-for-three-spot races in the frontcourt for each conference. After LeBron in the West, there's Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis, with Zion Williamson nipping at the heels of Davis. In the East, there's Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, with Jayson Tatum nipping at the heels of Embiid.
There are some weird ones &mdash; like Kevon Looney and Austin Reaves being top-10 vote-getters in their position groups over Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox respectively. The lack of love shown for Bam Adebayo, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson is odd, to say the least.&nbsp;
Quietly trucking along, ranking seventh in guard votes in the West, is Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
It's been easy to push Lillard on the back-burner because he hasn't been MVP-good like Doncic (or a healthy Curry) and he hasn't had the "wow" factor like Ja Morant (third in West guard votes) or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On top of that, Dame's missed 12 games and the Blazers are No. 7 in their conference. Those two things might&nbsp;be related; Portland is 5-7 in the games Lillard hasn't played.
But I think it's past time to show some appreciation for the season Lillard is having. Not only has he been really good when healthy, there's also been a stark contrast to his usual approach and usage this season.
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We can start with the base numbers though: 27.4 points (.533/.371/.888 shooting splits), 7.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. That's good stuff, and it puts him in the room with Doncic and Morant <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?CF=PTS*GE*27:AST*GE*7:REB*GE*4&amp;TeamID=0&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=NBA_FANTASY_PTS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as the only players</a> averaging 27-4-7 this season. A simple efficiency baseline &mdash; let's say a True Shooting percentage of 60% &mdash; knocks Morant off the hill, leaving just Doncic and Lillard.
I'd like to make a claim on this Lillard season: This is the most efficiently he's been used in his career.
It's slightly different than saying this is the most efficient he's been &mdash; his 61.5% TS is the third-highest mark of his career. But it's refreshing watching Lillard thrive as a scorer without having to work as hard, or against as many set defenses, as he's had to in the past.
The catalyst to this has been the Blazers' intention on getting Lillard off the ball. He's flying off 17 off-ball screens per game (23.7 per 100 possessions), per Second Spectrum. That isn't just a drastic shift from last season (10.2, 13.7 per 100); it's a diet we haven't seen from him in half a decade.
2016-17 season: 19.0 off-ball screens per game (26.1 per 100 possessions)
2017-18 season: 16.5 (22.2)
2018-19 season: 12.9 (17.2)
2019-20 season: 11.0 (14.1)
2020-21 season: 9.3 (12.4)
2021-22 season: 10.2 (13.7 &mdash; career-low 29 games played)
2022-23 season: 17.0 (23.7)
Lillard's ability to shoot off movement has long been underrated. His shot prep is superb, able to quickly balance himself on the catch if opponents botch a coverage against him. If Lillard's defender is trailing an off-ball action, the next guy in the chain &mdash; a big or another wing player &mdash; better be prepared to take away airspace. If not, Lillard can fire before you can blink.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wzx096" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
And because Lillard draws that much attention, the offense opens up for others. There are possessions the Blazers kick off with a Lillard off-ball action for the sole purpose of taking attention away from what they really want to get to.
Watch the eyes of Lu Dort (No. 5) and Mike Muscala (No. 31) on this possession. Because they're keyed in on Lillard coming off the Jerami Grant screen &mdash; and expecting a pick-and-roll from there &mdash; they wind up wholly unprepared for the flare screen being set for Anfernee Simons.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/rzo0m2" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
But even with Dort and Muscala getting lost in the sauce, they weren't paying attention to Lillard for no reason. Some of the off-ball usage for Lillard has been with the intent of flowing into a ball-screen directly after. Making the defense move before the ball-screen is generally better than a static, everybody-stand-still setup. When you aren't keyed in, Lillard can burn you there too.
Take this possession against the Charlotte Hornets, for example. Lillard coming off an early cross-screen creates so much chaos. (You can get a more detailed breakdown <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1611412932331540480?s=20&amp;t=TU-g0Koki-9uSQdF7THlLg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.)
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It's also worth noting that Lillard's off-ball value isn't limited to coming off screens himself. He's setting over six off-ball screens per 100 possessions, nearly double the rate he had last season (3.7) and the year before (3.0).
You won't confuse him with Steph (11.4 per 100) in terms of volume, but the effect has been similar. The Blazers have generated 1.13 PPP on trips featuring an off-ball screen from&nbsp;Lillard; that ranks ninth in the league &mdash; and second among guards (Marcus Smart, 1.25 PPP, first overall) &mdash; among players that have set at least 100 off-ball screens this year.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/6vmi0f" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
The addition of perimeter talent like Grant and Josh Hart have played a part in Lillard's shift in usage. The continued rise of Simons, a versatile offensive weapon in his own right, also limits the need&nbsp;for Lillard to initiate everything.
To that point, we've seen a massive decrease in pick-and-roll volume. After receiving nearly 57 on-ball picks per 100 possessions during his last healthy campaign (2020-21), Lillard is down to roughly 42 this season.
The Blazers still blitz teams on those possessions, with any trip featuring a Lillard pick-and-roll generating 1.08 PPP. That number ranks sixth among 56 players to receive at least 500 picks. Lillard remains a firecracker, able to pull up from 30 feet, boogie against big or weak defenders if they switch out and split traps and hedges when they come.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/7vjunx" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Zoom out, and we come to a common conclusion: The Blazers are a tough team to defend. They're eighth in offensive rating (115.7) and 12th in half-court offense per Cleaning The Glass. Those are high marks considering Lillard has been absent for 12 of those games.&nbsp;
With Lillard on the floor, the Blazers' ORTG rises to 121.4 &mdash; a number that would easily&nbsp;make the Blazers the best offense in basketball. In the half-court, the Blazers are generating 1.03 PPP with Lillard on the floor. Again, that would be the best mark in the NBA.
It may look a little different this year, but Lillard is still torching teams when he's on the floor.

Nekias Duncan digs into Damian Lillard's season, how he's been used off the ball and how the Blazers have greatly benefited.

Damian Lillard is flying off the ball and under the radar with Blazers

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Julius Randle had 28 points and 16 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 102-83 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday in New York.
&ldquo;My teammates are getting me the ball in the right spots. They&rsquo;re getting me going early,&rdquo; Randle said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just focus and effort, night in and night out.&rdquo;
Jalen Brunson, who returned after missing three games with a sore right hip, scored 24 points. Immanuel Quickley scored 15 points, Quentin Grimes had 12 and Mitchell Robinson finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks.
&ldquo;I shot 6-of-11 from the foul line. There&rsquo;s the rust," Brunson said. "I started out 0-for-3 and didn&rsquo;t finish the game the way I wanted to shooting-wise. But I was still in rhythm. I feel I can be more efficient, but I was just happy to be back out there.&rdquo;
Deandre Ayton led Phoenix with 12 points. Chris Paul had 11 and Mikal Bridges added 10.
The Suns, who lost for the sixth time in their last seven games, scored the first four points of the game. The Knicks followed with the next 14 and led the rest of the way.
New York went ahead 23-11 after the first quarter, the lowest total allowed to any opponent in any quarter by the Knicks since Feb. 1, 2020 (vs. Indiana).
Phoenix pulled to within 11, but a 21-0 Knicks run produced a game-high 32-point lead, 52-20.
The Suns ended the second quarter on an 11-2 streak and trailed 54-31. Phoenix tied for the fewest halftime points scored by a Knicks opponent since Orlando also scored 31 on April 11, 2015.
&ldquo;Defensively, we had to get back to our ways,&rdquo; Randle said. &ldquo;When we won eight in a row, the defensive end was big for us. We feel that rhythm and chemistry coming back on that end.&rdquo;
The Knicks went up 74-43 following a 10-run but had their lead cut to 79-58 after the third quarter.
&ldquo;I thought the way our guys came out, they played really hard defensively and played very unselfish offensively,&rdquo; said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. &ldquo;It is sometimes difficult to play with a lead like that, but I thought our guys did a good job of playing tough. They can make up ground quickly the way they shoot threes. That was a big concern.&rdquo;
The Suns, who scored a season low, only got as close as 18 points, 83-65, in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;It is a mind-boggling thing,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;The frustration comes in for us because we&rsquo;ve been a team that can overcome that when we are not shooting the ball well. Mentally and emotionally, I have to get our guys stronger. We haven&rsquo;t been able to handle those kinds of lapses this year.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Suns: Leading scorer Devin Booker (sore left groin) missed his fourth consecutive game. &hellip; Bridges is the lone Phoenix player to start all 38 games this season. Damion Lee is the only other Sun to play in all 38.
Knicks: RJ Barrett (lacerated right index finger) missed his third straight game. &hellip; The Knicks had lost nine straight games to the Suns. New York had not beaten Phoenix since Nov. 3, 2017 (120-107 at MSG). &hellip; Randle, who posted a double-double for the 10th time in his last 11 games, is the only Knick to start all 38 games this season. He heard loud chants of &ldquo;MVP&rdquo; throughout the game. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s good to be on the good side of the Garden,&rdquo; Randle said.
HOME SWEET HOME?
The Knicks are the only NBA team to have a winning record so far this season but a losing record (9-10) at home. Monday&rsquo;s win snapped a three-game home losing streak.
UP NEXT:
Suns: Phoenix visits the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Knicks: New York hosts the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Julius Randle had 28 points and 16 rebounds and Jalen Brunson added 24 in his return to lead the Knicks to a 102-83 win.

Randle, Brunson help lift Knicks over Suns 102-83

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2023, including several high-profile, first-time nominees including Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich, Dwyane Wade and the 1976 U.S. Olympic Women&rsquo;s Basketball Team. &nbsp; A first look at the list of eligible nominees was provided by &ldquo;NBA Today&rdquo; on ESPN; the complete list of eligible candidates can be found below. &nbsp; Finalists from the North American and Women&rsquo;s committee for the Class of 2023 will be announced on February 17, at 5:30 p.m. ET in Salt Lake City, Utah, during NBA All-Star Weekend. &nbsp; The entire Class of 2023, including those selected by the direct-elect committees, will be unveiled during the NCAA Final Four in Houston, Texas, on April 1, in a nationally televised broadcast at 11 a.m. EST.
NORTH AMERICAN NOMINATIONS &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ken Anderson (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; John Beilein (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gene Bess (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chauncey Billups (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tom Chambers (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; John Clougherty (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Michael Cooper (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Joey Crawford (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Curran (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mark Eaton (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cliff Ellis (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Michael Finley (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Pau Gasol (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leonard Hamilton (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lou Henson (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ed Hightower (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; David Hixon (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mark Jackson (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Marques Johnson (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gene Keady (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jim Larranaga (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Maurice Lucas (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Shawn Marion (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Rollie Massimino (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dick Motta (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dirk Nowitzki (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jake O&rsquo;Donnell (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tony Parker (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jim Phelan (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gregg Popovich (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bo Ryan (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stan Spirou (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Reggie Theus (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dwyane Wade (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Buck Williams (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; John Williamson (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Paul Westhead (COA)
WOMEN&rsquo;S NOMINATIONS &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leta Andrews (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jennifer Azzi (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gary Blair (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Doug Bruno (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Becky Hammon (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Becky Martin (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Debbie Miller-Palmore (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kim Mulkey (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Valerie Still (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Marian Washington (COA) &nbsp; INTERNATIONAL DIRECT-ELECT &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jackie Chazalon &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mirza Delibasic &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dusan Ivkovic &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Semen Khalipski &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Vladimir Kondrashin &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eduardo Lamas &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Marcos Leite &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Shimon Mirrahi &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Amaury Pasos &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Manuel Sainz &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Togo Soares &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ranko Zeravica &nbsp; WOMEN&rsquo;S VETERANS DIRECT-ELECT &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1976 US Olympic Team (TEA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1982 Cheyney University NCAA Final Four Team (TEA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Alline Banks Sprouse (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Edmonton Commercial Grads (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; John Head (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Yolanda Laney (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Nashville Business College (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lometa Odom (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Harley Redin (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hazel Walker (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Valerie Walker (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dean Weese (COA)*
CONTRIBUTOR DIRECT-ELECT &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Pete Babcock &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dick Baumgartner &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Henry Bibby &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Marty Blake &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Vic Bubas &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Doug Collins &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wayne Duke &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bill Foster &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bob Gibbons &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Simon Gourdine &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tim Grgurich &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Junius Kellogg &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Johnny &ldquo;Red&rdquo; Kerr &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tom Konchalski &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bobby Lewis &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fred McCall &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack McCloskey &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jon McGlocklin &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Speedy Morris &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dennis Murphy &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Curly Neal &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Powers &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Will Robinson &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gene Shue &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jim Valvano &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Donnie Walsh &nbsp; VETERANS DIRECT-ELECT &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1936 US Olympic Team (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1972 US Olympic Team (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dick Barnett (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tom Blackburn (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sid Borgia (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Charles Brown (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Freddie Brown (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Coleman (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Charles Eckman (REF) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leroy Edwards (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Leo Ferris (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hy Gotkin (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Travis Grant (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Hartman (COA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cam Henderson (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Robert Hopkins (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Charles Keinath (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Greg Kelser (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kentucky Wesleyan 1966, 1968, 1969 (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bob Love (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Loyola of Chicago (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Billy Markward (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ed McCluskey (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jack McKinney (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bill Melchionni (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Francis Meehan (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lucias Mitchell (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Donald &ldquo;Dudey&rdquo; Moore (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Joe Mullaney (COA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Willie Naulls (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; North Catholic High School Junior Varsity (Philadelphia, PA) (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don Otten (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Philadelphia SPHAS (TEA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kevin Porter (PLA)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Glenn Roberts (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lennie Rosenbluth (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kenny Sailors (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fred Schaus (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sam Schulman (CONT) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Paul Silas (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dick Van Arsdale (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tom Van Arsdale (PLA) &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lambert Will (CONT)* &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; Max Zaslofsky (PLA)

Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich and Dwyane Wade are among the candidates for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Basketball Hall of Fame announces candidates for Class of 2023

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid have been named the NBA's West and East Players of the Week for Dec. 5-11.
Williamson led the Pelicans to a 3-0 record, including two big wins over the Phoenix Suns to give New Orleans the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Last week, Zion averaged 33.0 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 70.4% from the field.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 8 of the 2022-23 season (Dec. 5-11). <a href="https://t.co/fBc2COC0Vg">pic.twitter.com/fBc2COC0Vg</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1602400396756094977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Embiid led the 76ers to a 2-1 record and had several dominant showings, including a 53-point, 12-rebound performance to beat the Charlotte Hornets and a 38-point, 12-rebound, 5-assist outing to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers. Embiid averaged 43.3 points and 10.3 rebounds, while shooting 63.9% from the field.
Williamson and Embiid beat out fellow nominees Luka Dončić (DAL), Rudy Gobert (MIN), Nikola Jokić (DEN), Ja Morant (MEM), Jarrett Allen (CLE), DeMar DeRozan (CHI), Buddy Hield (IND), Julius Randle (NYK) and Franz Wagner (ORL).

Zion Williamson and Joel Embiid have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week.

Zion Williamson, Joel Embiid named NBA's Players of the Week

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Brook Lopez hit a wide-open layup off an inbounds play with seven seconds to go and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Dallas Mavericks 106-105 on Friday night.
The Bucks held on despite Giannis Antetokounmpo fouling out with 2:55 remaining. The Greek Freak finished with 28 points to end an eight-game run with at least 30 points.
Luka Doncic had 33 points and 11 assists and put Dallas ahead on a layup with 29 seconds to go.
But the Mavericks couldn&rsquo;t make their free throws late &mdash; they were a woeful 10 for 24 for the game &mdash; leaving the door open for the Bucks to win a fourth consecutive game while ending Dallas&rsquo; three-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s sixth foul came when he tried to close out on a 3-pointer by Tim Hardaway Jr., who missed all three free throws to keep Milwaukee in front by one.
Dorian Finney-Smith missed two more free throws after Doncic had put Dallas in front 105-104. The Bucks inbounded from near their bench, and Lopez slipped behind a screen for the easy bucket on the throw-in from George Hill.
76ERS 132, LAKERS 122, OT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid had 38 points and 12 rebounds, De&rsquo;Anthony Melton scored a career-high 33 points and Philadelphia recovered to beat Los Angeles after blowing a nine-point lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation.
Anthony Davis had 31 points and 12 rebounds, while LeBron James scored 23 points for the Lakers. James (sore left ankle) and Davis (illness) both missed a loss in Toronto on Tuesday night.
Russell Westbrook had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, joining Magic Johnson as the only Lakers with a triple-double off the bench.
The Lakers were down 12 with 2 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation but rallied on clutch buckets and costly fouls by the Sixers.
PELICANS 128, SUNS 117
NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Zion Williamson capped a season-high 35-point performance with a 360-degree, one-handed dunk in the final seconds that upset Phoenix players, and New Orleans beat the Suns in a matchup of the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Players and coaches from both teams swarmed around one another angrily as officials frantically stepped in to separate them before both teams finally walked off opposite ends of the court, with Williamson gesturing triumphantly to roaring fans before disappearing down the tunnel to the locker room.
Jose Alvarado came off the bench to add 20 points for New Orleans, which had to hold on in the opener of a two-game series after the Suns hit 15 of their 22 3-pointers in the second half to erase a 16-point deficit.
Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 14 rebounds. The Suns (16-10) lost for the fourth time in five games to fall 1 1/2 games behind New Orleans (17-8) atop the Western Conference standings.
TIMBERWOLVES 118, JAZZ 108
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; D&rsquo;Angelo Russell scored 20 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Rudy Gobert had 22 points and 13 rebounds in his return to Utah and Minnesota beat the Jazz.
Rudy Gobert was traded Minnesota over the summer. The French center spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Jazz.
Malik Beasley scored 23 points to lead Utah. Jordan Clarkson added 21 points and Mike Conley had 17 points and six assists in his first game back after being sidelined for nine games by a left leg injury.
NETS 120, HAWKS 116
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Kevin Durant scored 34 points, Kyrie Irving had 33 points and 11 rebounds and Brooklyn finished a seven-game homestand by beating Atlanta.
TJ Warren added 14 points and Ben Simmons returned from a four-game absence with a left calf strain with six points, seven rebounds and six assists as the Nets won for the ninth time in 12 games overall.
They hadn&rsquo;t played seven straight home games since moving to Brooklyn a decade ago and they took advantage, losing only to the NBA-leading Boston Celtics while surging into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Trae Young had 33 points and nine assists for the Hawks, while Bogdan Bogdanovic rebounded from a miserable game at the Knicks two nights earlier with 31 points.
KINGS 106, CAVALIERS 95
CLEVELAND (AP) &mdash; Harrison Barnes scored 20 points, Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 18 rebounds and Sacramento rallied to beat Cleveland.
Kevin Huerter made two 3-pointers in 56 seconds late in the fourth quarter, fueling a 21-2 game-ending run by Sacramento. The Cavaliers had held their largest lead at 93-85 on Caris LeVert&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 5:40 remaining.
LeVert had 22 points, six rebounds and six assists for Cleveland, which had its seven-game home winning streak snapped.
KNICKS 121, HORNETS 102
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Julius Randle scored 33 points, RJ Barrett added 26 and New York beat Charlotte for its third straight victory.
Jalen Brunson had 11 points and 11 assists for the Knicks. They evened their record at 13-13.
Terry Rozier scored 24 points for Charlotte. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22 points on his 27th birthday.
GRIZZLIES 114, PISTONS 103
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Jaren Jackson Jr. had 20 points and four blocks and Memphis beat Detroit for its fifth straight victory.
Brandon Clarke added 17 points for Memphis, missing only one of his eight shots. Dillon Brooks had 16 points, and Ja Morant finished with 15 points and 12 assists.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 19 points, Marvin Bagley III scored 14 points, and Kevin Knox II and Isaiah Stewart finished with 13 points each.
PACERS 121, WIZARDS 111
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Buddy Hield scored a season-high 28 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 23 points and 11 assists and Indiana beat Washington.
Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points, Oshae Brissett 16 and Myles Turner 14.
Kristaps Porzingis led Washington with 29 points on 11-of-13 shooting. Kyle Kuzma added 27 points, and Jordan Goodwin had 19.
MAGIC 113, RAPTORS 109
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Franz Wagner scored 34 points and Orlando turned to rookie Pablo Banchero in the final minutes to hold off Toronto after the Raptors had wiped out a 20-point deficit in the second half.
Banchero finished with 23 points and six rebounds. Pascal Siakam had 36 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Raptors.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A recap of Friday night's NBA action features a thrilling battle between Milwaukee and Dallas.